Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1865, Union troops smashed through Confederate lines outside Petersburg. By the end of the day, Gen. Robert E. Lee declared he could "hold his position no longer" and ordered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.

Poppy the baby pygmy hippo got to experience the outdoors for the first time. Check out the photos in Et Cetera, then follow Georgetown's progress in the College Basketball Crown Tournament in Sports.

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State Legislature Reconvenes Today

The General Assembly reconvenes in Richmond today to discuss Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 205 amendments to the state budget, including a requirement for local governments to work with U.S. immigration officials.

Youngkin also included additional funding for the state's "rainy day" fund to combat future economic uncertainty, as well as reserving $300 million to help unemployed federal workers.

In addition to the budget amendments, Youngkin proposed changes to 159 bills, which will be debated in the legislature. If a change to any bill is not approved, Youngkin can either sign it as originally written or veto it. The governor has already vetoed 158 bills during the 2025 session.

22 Localities Designated Natural Disaster Areas

The USDA has designated 22 Virginia localities as natural disaster areas due to drought, allowing affected farmers to apply for emergency assistance.

Farmers will have eight months to request financial help from the USDA Farm Service Agency, including emergency loans.

Most of Virginia has been dealing with dry conditions, but some areas experienced severe, extreme, or exceptional drought during the last growing season. See the current drought map here.

Voting Begins on Richmond's 'People's Budget'

Voting began in Richmond Tuesday on the People's Budget, an initiative that allows local residents to choose how the city spends $3 million, which represents 0.1% of the city's overall budget.

The city invited residents to propose projects, from planting trees and enhancing bus routes to upgrading sidewalks and improving trail access. Through April 15, all Richmond residents 14 and older can vote to help decide which projects will move forward.

The funds will be distributed citywide, with a larger share allocated to areas that officials feel have been historically underfunded.

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➤ Statewide: Some national parks around Virginia have limited their hours after the National Parks Service laid off more than 750 employees across the country. Shenandoah State Park was tied for the most firings in the nation, with 15. (More)

➤ Fairfax County: Fairfax County Public Schools officials are developing a plan for later middle school start times. Some parents say the current 7:30 a.m. start time leaves their children overly tired. (More)

➤ Radford: Radford City plans to cut $4 million from its budget to offset a deficit driven by rising costs. (More)

➤ Norfolk: Norview High School had an increased police presence on Tuesday after a threat was made on social media Monday evening. (More)

➤ Lynchburg: Gov. Glenn Youngkin will deliver the graduation address at Liberty University on May 9. (More)

➤ Hampton: Tacori Johnson, 17, disappeared Sunday, triggering a CODI alert. She is a Type 1 diabetic who did not have her medication with her. She may have been wearing white pajamas and has not been located as of press time. (See Photo)

➤ Norfolk State men's basketball coach Robert Jones signed a long-term contract extension that would see him remain with the team through the 2031-32 season. The Spartans are coming off a 24-11 season. (More)

➤ In the new College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas, George Washington lost to Boise State 89-59 on Monday, while Georgetown defeated Washington State 85-82. Georgetown will face Nebraska in the next round on Wednesday. (Preview)

➤ Virginia Tech announced Tuesday that former assistant basketball coach Chester Frazier will return. Frazier, who coached from 2019 to 2021, was "vital" in the Hokies' 2020-21 NCAA Tournament run, officials said. (More)

➤ Ilia Malinin of Fairfax County is focused on training for the 2026 Winter Olympics after winning the gold medal on Saturday in men's free skating at the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. (More)

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➤ The Danville Goodyear plant plans to start layoffs as early as this week, with nearly 850 employees expected to be impacted by the cuts. (More)

➤ Dominion Energy recently proposed a rate increase, citing inflation. If approved, Dominion customers would see an increase of $8.51 per month in 2026 and an additional $2 per month in 2027. (More)

➤ Residents have expressed concerns that a proposed seven-story apartment building in western Ballston is a "lost opportunity" for more housing, arguing that the planned replacement for a 12-story office building is too short. (More)

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➤ A reporter set out to uncover the extent of police surveillance by driving 300 miles across rural Virginia, documenting the security cameras along the way, and then requesting all captured images from local police departments. (See Photos)

➤ Poppy, a baby pygmy hippo, soaked up the sunshine in her outdoor enclosure for the first time Friday at the Metro Richmond Zoo. (See Photo)

➤ A tractor-trailer crashed Tuesday on Interstate 295 South in Prince George County, blocking all lanes of traffic. (See Photo)

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